The 14 Best Day Trips from Oxford
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 14 good day trips from Oxford, United Kingdom, led by London, Birmingham, Bristol. The closest is Reading, about 45 min by car, and 1 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 14 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Oxford
- 1
London, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car83 km east of OxfordKnown for Cyberdog.
- 2
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car92 km north-west of OxfordKnown for Cadbury World.
- 3
Bristol, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 30 min by car98 km west of Oxford - 4
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car136 km west of Oxford - 5
Leicester, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 35 min by car99 km north of Oxford - 6
Coventry, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car75 km north of Oxford - 7
Brent, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car69 km east of Oxford - 8
Nottingham, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 5 min by car134 km north of Oxford - 9
Reading, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 45 min by car38 km south-east of Oxford - 10
Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car138 km east of Oxford - 11
Brighton, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr by car129 km south-east of Oxford - 12
Derby, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 5 min by car131 km north of Oxford - 13
Southampton, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 30 min by car95 km south of Oxford - 14
Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car110 km north-west of Oxford
A sample day: Oxford to London
- 08:30Leave Oxford
- 09:50Arrive in London (1 hr 20 min drive)
- 10:05Cyberdog
- 12:05Lunch
- 13:20Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
- 15:50Head back to Oxford
- 17:10Home in Oxford
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Oxford?
- The best day trips from Oxford are London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leicester. The closest is Reading, about 45 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Oxford?
- Reading is the closest, 38 km south-east of Oxford, roughly 45 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Oxford?
- One place is within about an hour's drive of Oxford: Reading (45 min).
- What is the biggest city near Oxford for a day out?
- London is the largest city in day-trip range, 83 km east of Oxford and about 1 hr 20 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Oxford?
- For a weekend away from Oxford, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Southend-on-Sea (138 km, 2 hr 10 min), Cardiff (136 km, 2 hr 10 min), Nottingham (134 km, 2 hr 5 min), Derby (131 km, 2 hr 5 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Oxford?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Southend-on-Sea at 138 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.
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